The graffiti spelled out a phrase considered derogatory toward black people

Further down ...

Although it was painted in a different color, graffiti to the horse statue... was also painted with "KKK" and a swastika, as were a few nearby homes that also included and epithet specifically singling out and calling for blacks to be killed - using derogatory language.

And still ...

Also last week, a vehicle on Stevens Circle in Aberdeen was vandalized with the same sort of graffiti, including the swastika, reference to the Ku Klux Klan and the racial slurs found in Havre de Grace.

IMHO, as I was saying , I dont think a can of spray paint and goose poop are your bigger issues here ...

Believe those who search for the truth ...
Doubt those who find it ...

No, the graffiti isn't the most disturbing issue, but you can't punish someone for having certain ideas and viewpoints. It's those pesky rights we all have. It's like when our city had to spend tens of thousands of dollars for security when the damn kkk wanted to hold a rally downtown. They had to let them assemble peacably, and they had to provide police services. It just seems wrong, but they're all of our rights.

Agreed ... and in most cases, as Americans, no one would argue the point. Similar to your cited incident, years back, they had to let the neo-Nazis march in the predominantly Jewsish suburb of Skokie becasue of these "rights"

But "acts" start bumping the line of "expression" ... this isnt TAKI 183 we're talking about ... and when the line gets crossed ... and you know those seeds are germinating in this hate-spewed graffiti ... well, then, you can take action.

Let these "artists" put a soap box up in town square and orate their viewpoints ... as in your KKK example ... or my Skokie reference ... and let them not remain anonymous and mongering hate. No would would argue their "right" to do that. What they did was cowardly and inciteful ... and you cannot do that.

Believe those who search for the truth ...
Doubt those who find it ...